The present invention relates to mixing or stirring devices, particularly to a device for mixing materials with large density differences, and more particularly to such a device which provides gentle stirring (low RPM) and minimizes the formation of vortexes and bubbles during mixing thereby provides for stirring of full containers without spillage.
Mixing or stirring devices of various types are known for numerous different applications. These prior mixing or stirring arrangements are exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,626,788 issued Jan. 27, 1953 to D. Ragland; 3,746,314 issued Jul. 17, 1973 to C. J. Nauta; 4,188,132 issued Feb. 12, 1980 to W. Lenart et al.; 4,232,973 issued Nov. 11, 1980 to P. Sigouzat; and 4,764,022 issued Aug. 16, 1988 to A. DiVita.
One of the problems with prior known mixing mechanisms is that they create a vortex and or produce small bubbles in the liquid, which in many cases is the result of high speed mixing in order to achieve mixing of materials with large density differences. Also, because of the created vortex spilling of the mixture over the edge of an open container is caused during mixing. Therefore, this is a need in the mixing/stirring art for a mixing or stirring device which operates at a low RPM to minimize the formation of a vortex and small bubbles, while effectively mixing materials of large density differences.
The present invention fills the above-mentioned need by providing a mixing device which operates at low speed, thus providing effective, but gentle stirring of materials with a variety of densities, while minimizing the formation of a vortex and/or small bubbles and enables stirring or mixing of full containers without spillage.